لَنا صاحِبٌ قالِصٌ ظِلُّهُ

لَنا صاحِبٌ قالِصٌ ظِلُّهُ

إِلَيهِ نُحِثُّ الهِجانَ القِلاصا

إِلَيهِ نُحِثُّ الهِجانَ القِلاصا

We have a friend whose shade is scant;

We have a friend, his shadow is stingy

toward him we urge the young, purebred white she-camels.

We urge the thin camels toward him

فَيا رَبِّ قَرِّب لَنا بُعدَهُ

فَيا رَبِّ قَرِّب لَنا بُعدَهُ

وَعَجِّل لَنا مِن يَدَيهِ الخَلاصا

وَعَجِّل لَنا مِن يَدَيهِ الخَلاصا

So, my Lord, hasten our separation from him,

So oh Lord, bring his distance nearer

and hasten our deliverance from his hands.

And hasten for us from him salvation

إِذا ما غَدَونا إِلى بابِهِ

إِذا ما غَدَونا إِلى بابِهِ

غَدَونا بِطاناً وَرُحنا خِماصا

غَدَونا بِطاناً وَرُحنا خِماصا

Whenever we go in the morning to his door,

When we go early to his door

we go full-bellied and return empty-bellied at evening.

We go hungry and go back humiliated

فَبِالجوعِ نَهلِكُ في دارِهِ

فَبِالجوعِ نَهلِكُ في دارِهِ

وَبِالذَمِّ نَأخُذُ مِنهُ القَصاصا

وَبِالذَمِّ نَأخُذُ مِنهُ القَصاصا

Thus we perish of hunger in his house,

So with hunger we die in his abode

and through censure we exact retribution from him.

And with humiliation we get from him punishment

فَلا جادَها الغَيثُ مِن أَربُعٍ

فَلا جادَها الغَيثُ مِن أَربُعٍ

وَلا بارَكَ اللَهُ فيها عِراصا

وَلا بارَكَ اللَهُ فيها عِراصا

So may rain never shower its bounty on those dwellings,

So neither did the rain make it generous from all around

nor may God bless their open courtyards.

Nor did God bless it with productivity